When you suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, you may experience jaw pain and headaches that don’t seem to quit. Because this joint helps you chew and talk, TMJ-related problems can make ordinary things seem very difficult. Luckily, facial rejuvenation has the ability to help ease your discomfort.

Our team at the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Center helps you get your TMJ under control, even when it seems impossible. Dr. Katharine Christian is our sleep medicine specialist, and she offers facial rejuvenation when you’re suffering from TMJ discomfort.

What Is TMJ Disorder?

Your temporomandibular joint — the joint where your skull and your jawbone connect — is a hinge joint. This joint allows you to open your mouth and move your jaw. TMJ disorder happens when your joint, or the surrounding muscles and ligaments, become inflamed. This often leads to pain and tenderness around your face and jaw. 

TMJ disorder can be caused by a number of different things. For instance, if you suffer a jaw injury, you may end up with TMJ due to the trauma. Clenching and grinding your teeth can also lead to this disorder. Genetics sometimes plays a role in your chances of getting TMJ, too.

Symptoms of TMJ vary quite a bit, depending on the severity of the disorder. You may experience tenderness around your jaw or even have trouble opening your mouth. Other TMJ symptoms that you may come across include:

• Clicking or grinding when you chew
• Facial pain and tenderness
• Lockjaw
• Pain while chewing

You may also notice that you have pain in your ear or in the tissues surrounding your ear. This is because your ear is so close to the joint and inflammation can occur in the surrounding tissues.

Understanding Facial Rejuvenation

At our facility, Dr. Christian uses facial rejuvenation for a number of conditions, including TMJ disorders. Although it sounds like a cosmetic procedure, this advanced laser procedure also can be used to treat snoring and TMJ problems.

Dr. Christian uses cold laser technology to treat your TMJ symptoms. The amazing benefit of this type of laser is that it’s a very fast procedure, and you shouldn’t feel much pain, if any, during and after treatment. The laser that Dr. Christian uses is the TimeWalkerⓇ Fontana4DⓇ, which is at the top of its class. 

The process usually takes about an hour or so, and it’s done in the convenience of our office. There’s no preparation involved, and you can go home right after the procedure is done. The laser is virtually painless, and doesn’t cause damage to your skin or facial tissues.

Does Facial Rejuvenation Really Work?



Facial rejuvenation using laser therapy is a noninvasive, effective way to get rid of your TMJ pain. So how does it provide relief without surgery or a more invasive process?

The cold laser energy is directed precisely to the site of your pain using a handheld wand. The energy from the laser can get down into your joint and the surrounding tissues that are inflamed. 

The laser helps to reduce the inflammation in and around the joint, but it also stimulates that area to produce more red blood cells. This brings more oxygen to the damaged tissues and speeds up healing in the area.

It also helps to stimulate your body’s own healing process, by improving oxygenation and blood flow to the TMJ joint and the surrounding muscles and ligaments. After a few sessions, not only has the inflammation decreased, but your body is also on its way to healing the joint itself.

It usually takes more than one laser treatment to get you the long-lasting relief you need. Dr. Christian discusses your specific case to determine the amount of treatments you need to get your pain under control.

If you’re tired of dealing with TMJ symptoms day in and day out, don’t hesitate to call our office in Seattle, Washington to get started on facial rejuvenation treatments. You can also request an appointment using our online booking tool.